The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD review – the legend of Midna

The game that ended the GameCube era and helped launch the Wii returns in remastered form for Nintendo’s Wii U.

It does seem a very odd coincidence that Twilight Princess should reappear just as rumours are spreading that the next Zelda is being repurposed as a launch title for Nintendo’s new console. That is, after all, exactly what happened to Twilight Princess, which was announced for the GameCube but in the end was side-lined to become a launch title for the Wii. And now it’s back on the Wii U, but although it looks better than ever it still remains one of the most controversial games in the series.

The first Zelda game for the GameCube was The Wind Waker, which was already remastered for the Wii U back in 2013. At the time of its original release though, in 2003, the game was heavily criticised for its cel-shaded graphics, which according to more insecure fans made it look too childish. So despite the visuals being the best thing about the game Twilight Princess ditched the approach and tried to present itself as a more serious experience for serious gamers.

Nintendo is always at their worst when trying to pander to fans, and it’s not hard to dismiss Twilight Princess as a failed attempt to retread the universally praised Ocarina Of Time, except with murkier, less interesting graphics and an unwanted new sense of déjà vu. Although in that sense Twilight Princess gains more from its HD update than The Wind Waker did, because the original graphics were so low resolution that the more detailed textures, and overuse of bloom lighting, made some scenes almost impossible to discern properly.

The remaster doesn’t do anything to help the art design though, which is still vastly less interesting than The Wind Waker – with a mixture of bland pseudo-realistic backdrops and some startlingly ugly character designs. There’s nothing a mere remaster was going to do about that though, and Australian developer Tantalus Media should be praised for doing an excellent job within some very obvious limitations.

The way we’ve been talking you’d think that Twilight Princess is some black sheep of the Zelda family, only a step or two above the CD-i games, but it’s nothing of the sort. It’s a very good game in itself, it’s just that it’s a fairly mediocre Zelda. Like many of the recent entries Twilight Princess is painfully aware of its great legacy, and more beholden to Ocarina Of Time than even the most rabid fan.

Most of the core Zelda games reuse similar settings, but here locations from Kakariko Village to the Water Temple seem so familiar that they appeared almost like a remake even at the time. Even the sequence in which they appear is the game is largely the same. Appropriately enough, given the game’s plot, it feels like a shadow version of Ocarina Of Time – with a try-hard attitude to make everything seem as grim and gritty as possible (even Epona is transformed into a stocky shire horse, to appear more tough) and yet still fit within the normal family friendly Nintendo standards.

As the game begins much of the world has been enveloped in ‘twilight’ which transforms you into a wolf and the more hapless inhabitants into spirits. You soon gain the ability to transform back into human form, but it’s only as a wolf that you can see ghosts, follow scent trails, and howl tunes in the absence of the ocarina.

Although the names are the same the actual design of the game world is all new, making for what is probably the largest Zelda so far. Although it shares a similar problem with Skyward Sword, in that it just goes on for too long – and could have done with some judicious editing down in size. But whatever else you may say about the game each of the temples is superbly designed, with a mix of action and puzzle-solving that still no other developer but Nintendo seems to be able to mimic.

Outside of temples there’s a good variety of sub quests and asides, from horseback duels to white water rafting, but again nothing that seems very unique to Twilight Princess itself. Instead, the most notable aspect of the game remains Midna – the sarcastic, capricious imp whose true importance to the plot only becomes clear towards the end. She remains arguably the best character in any Zelda game, in that she’s something more than just a one-dimensional hero or villain, and it’s a delight to see her back in action.

In terms of enhancements for the Wii U this version of the game doesn’t use any motion controls, just the GamePad or a Pro Controller. You can play the game in Off-TV mode and use the GamePad screen as an inventory, and there’s a small number of tweaks such as reducing the length of the tedious Tears Of Light quests and making Poe collecting easier via a new Ghost Lantern item.

The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (Wii U) – is history about to repeat itself?

You can also play the game in the harder Hero Mode right from the start, while using a Zelda-related amiibo allows you to top up health or arrow supplies (or in the case of Ganondorf make the game harder). The much talked about Wolf amiibo, which has been created just for the game, merely unlocks a new type of survival mode dungeon. It’s really not very interesting, and as ever the amiibo is far more interesting as a collectable than it is as pseudo-DLC.

Twilight Princess is a good game, arguably even a great one, but it is by far our least favourite of the 3D entries. As the passage of time has shown it has brought nothing new or lasting to the franchise, and while perfectly enjoyable it does nothing better than any of its predecessors or successors. But clearly it’s difficult creating a new entry in a franchise as acclaimed as The Legend Of Zelda, and we can well understand why Nintendo would have panicked after the mixed reception to both The Wind Waker and the GameCube itself.

But of course now they find themselves in another very similar situation, and we can only hope that they will be bolder and more inventive with the next Zelda entry, whether it appears on the Wii U or the NX. Or, as seems increasingly likely, on both.

The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

In Short: It’s certainly not the best entry in the Zelda series, but a good quality remaster and the presence of Midna still makes this one worth returning to.

Pros: In terms of gameplay and dungeon design the game gets very little wrong. Very large game world, with lots to see and do. Midna is great and the remaster itself is excellent.

Cons: Very few new ideas, and an unhealthy obsession with trying to recreate the magic of Ocarina Of Time. Bland, and occasionally downright ugly, art design. Still too long and awkwardly paced.